1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner and a method for controlling the outdoor unit, and more specifically, the invention relates to an outdoor unit that allows continuous use of an old indoor unit, for example, after the air conditioner is replaced with a new air conditioner.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known air conditioner has transmission means for transmitting operational command signals and information on the operational status between an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. Based on information from the transmission means, the known air conditioner controls a compressor, a blower of a heat exchanger, a four-way valve, and an expansion valve disposed inside the outdoor unit. Recently, air conditioners that save energy and have detailed functions are in general use. In particular, data communication protocols used between an indoor unit and an outdoor unit of inverter type air conditioners have become complex and a wide variety of data communication protocols are in use (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-196443.